Carburetor air humidifier



April 7 3 c. SCHAAF 2,633,833

CARBURETOR AIR HUMIDIFIER Filed April 20, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 J? 5%- 33JQ? 86 I N VEN TOR.

A'ITD R N EYE April 7, 1953 c. SCHAAF CARBURETOR AIR HUMIDIFIER FiledApril 20. 1949 2 Sl-lEETSSl-IEET 2 *HEB IN VEN TOR.

CZd/PHCP 56% aaf ATTU RN EYS Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Clarence Schaaf, Findlay, Ohio Application April 20, 1949, SerialNo. 88,551

My present invention relates to the general class of internal combustionengines or gasoline motors'having water-cooling heat radiators andemployed for propelling automobiles and other automotive vehicles, andmore specifically to an improved carburetor air-humidifier forinstallation andinterconnection between an air space inthe upper portionof the radiator and the carburetor,v or charge forming appliance of themotor. The primary purpose of the invention is the provision ofanautomatically operating appliance for conveying vapor-saturated aircurrents from the radiator, and supplying or feeding humidified air tothe carburetor, which operates in conjunction with ambient conditions oftemperature, humidity, and barometer pressure, and co-ordinated with thespeed of the motor and forward travel of the vehicle propelled by themotor. I v

The appliance of my invention, which is simple in construction andoperation, includes a minimum number of parts that may with facility bemanufactured at low cost of production, and the parts may be assembledand installed with ease and minimum expenditure of time and labor, toassure efiective performance of the functions of the humidifier. Theinvention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements ofparts as will hereinafter be described in detail'and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In th accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of aphysical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combinedandarranged in accord with one mode I have devised .for the practicalapplication of the principles of my invention.

It will however be understood that changes and alterations arecontemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings andmechanical structures, within the scope of my claims, without departingfrom the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a conventional automobilemotor, carburetor, and reservoir, equipped with the novel humidifier ofmy invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the bowl orhumidifying reservoir with its accessories.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the structure of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of the vented radiator cap; and

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view at line 2-2 of Fig.4.

3 Claims. (01. 123-25) Figure 6 is an enlarged view partly in section ofthe angular outlet tube or elbow fitting of the radiator, showing itsnon-splashing vane or automatically operating flap valve; and Figure '7is a sectional view at line 'l--1 of Fig. 6.

In order that the general arrangement and utility of related parts mayreadily be understood I have shown in Fig. 1 a conventional internalcombustion engine or motor M and its radiator R having the usual hoseconnections IV and 2 to the motor, and the radiator is equipped. with aremovable cap 3 that is perforated as at 3a for access of air to theinterior of the upper portion of the radiator casing or housing. 7

The motor M is equipped with acarburetor as C having an upper air intakepipeor nipple ti, and the bowl or cup 5 forming the air filter andhumidifier is mounted upon the upper end of this nipple or feed pipe 4.H

As best seen in Fig. 2 the cylindrical bowl 5 is provided with acentrally arranged upright annular flange 6 depending from its dishedbottom I, and an outlet pipe or air feed tube 8 hav-. ing an upperbeveled edge 9 around its open end, is rigidly mounted as by welding,with an enlarged skirt l0 within theflange 6. The. lower end of theprotruding skirt ofthe tubeis. slotted as at H andthe slotted skirt iscompressed over the nipple or pipe 4 of the carburetor .by means of aclamping band or ring l2 that is secured by screw or bolt [3.

The cylindrical bowl is equipped with an inclined or dished and flangedcover or lid !4 that is detachably fastened in place with a set screw orbolt [5, and at the solid front wall of the bowl facing the radiator anattaching nipple 16 is in tegrated with the bowl. 'The combined filterand humidifier is installed with its inlet nipple above the radiator,and an intake hose I! is extended from the bowl to the radiator, toreceive moistened air from the interior of the radiator.

For this purpose the radiator is equipped with an elbow fitting orangular pipe l8 to which the front end of the hose is coupled, andtheangular pipe is fitted and sealed, as by welding, in an opening in thetop wall of the radiator, preferably in a location remote from theperforated radiator cap.

The lower end of the elbow fitting is open to the interior of theradiator housing for ingress of moistened air, and to prevent access ofsplashmg water from the radiator, as when an automotive vehicle isturning a corner, the depending end of the fitting is equipped with anautomatically operating off-center valve for effectively closing thefitting against ingress of water or drops of water.

As here shown the valve is suspended. in the fitting with an uppersemi-circular wing 19 adapted to swing and close the interior bore ofthe fitting, and this flat wing or blade has an integral depending vane28 projecting below the lower end of the fitting, int the housing of theradiator. By means of the off-center pivot pins 2! of the valvejournale'd in the fitting this flap valve is vertically hinged to permitfree flow of moistened air to and through the fitting, as indicated byfull lines in Fig. 7; and as indicated by dotted lines the flap valvecuts off ingress of splashing water to the fitting.

At the rear side of the bowl its upper edge is cut away Or slotted toreceive a double wall air screen 22 having perforations 23, and anintermediate layer of filtering material as 24, and the slotted wall isprovided with spaced angular and flanged brackets 25 that may be weldedto the inner face of the wall adjoining its slot. The brackets form aholder for the curved rectangular screen or filter, and the latter maybe welded or otherwise fastened securely in the brackets to seal thevented opening of the bowl.

As an emergency accessory for disposing of any excess moisture from thebowl, an outlet nipple 26 is provided in the bottom 1, and a drain hoseas 21 is attached to the nipple for disposal of this excess moisture.With the bowl mounted over the air intake opening 01 the carburetor, theengine suction will draw air thru the openings in the radiator cap intothe upper portion or space in' the radiator where the air is humidifiedby the vapor produced therein by the heated water and then goes thru thefitting and hose into the bowl, and from there into the carburetor wherethe humid air is mixed in proper proportion with the gasoline to formthe explosive charge. Air is also drawn thru the opening 23 into thebowl by the engine suction whereby the proper proportion of filtered airand moist air is admitted to the carburetor.

Condensation forming within the bowl 5 is drained thru the outlet nipple26 and hose 2?.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. man air humidirying appliance adapted to be. interconnected. betweenthe radiator having a vented cap and the carburetor of an internalcombustion engine, comprising a bowl having intakes in opposite sidesthereof in alinement with each other, an outlet fitting for theradiator, a hose Number connection between the fitting and one of saidopenings, an air filtering screen for the other in take opening, a tubemounted in upright position in the bowl and having an open upper end,the tube extending thru the bottom of the bowl at its lower end and itsupper end being angled and extending above the lower edge of theintakes, a drain nipple at the bottom of the bowl, and means forfastening the lower end of the tube to the carburetor air intakeopening.

2. In an air humidifying appliance interconnected between the radiatorhaving a vented cap and the carburetor of an internal combustion engineas set forth in claim 1 wherein the outlet fitting for the radiatorcomprises a tube bent at a angle with one end extending rearwardly andconnected to the bowl by the hose connection, the other end extendingdownwardly thru the top of the radiator and communicating with the spacein the upper portion of the radiator, a valve within the downwardlyextending tube, members carried by the valve above its horizontal centerand pivotally engaging the tube whereby water splashing in the top ofthe radiator will close the valve so as to prevent water from enteringthe bowl.

3. In an air humidifying appliance adapted to be interconnected betweenthe radiator having a vented cap and the carburetor of an internalcombustion engine, comprising a bowl having intakes in opposite sidesthereof, an. outlet fitting for the radiator, a hose connection betweenthe fitting and one of said openings, an air filtering screen for theother intake opening, a tube mounted in upright position in the bowlhaving an open upper end biased and in line with the openings in theopposite sides of the bowl, said tube having its lower end extendingthru the bottom of the bowl and adaptedto be secured to the air intakeopening of the carburetor.

CLARENCE SCHAAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date G011 July 24, Briggs Feb. 28, GustafsonDec. 9, Hardt Feb. 15, Miller Sept. 20,

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland July 17, 1922 Number

